FINAL ANTHRO ch 10 class and inequality

fiscal crisis of unsafe water flowing out of taps when the city’s source of drinking water from lake huron to the highlight corrosive and historically polluted flint river as a cost saving measure

Flint, Michigan water crisis

was gutted by deindustrialization and flexible accumulation as GM relocated jobs overseas in search of cheaper wages, fewer environmental restrictions, lower tastes, and greater profits. distribution of water reveals the distrubution of social power along intersecting lines of class, race, gender, and age

History of Flint and poverty rates

a system of power based on wealth, income, and status that creates an unequal distribution of a society’s resources

class

the uneven distribution of resources and privileges among members of a group or culture

stratification

a group based on the sharing of resources to ensure success with a relative absence of hierachy and violence

egalitarian societies

the exchange of resources, goods, and services among people of relatively equal status; meant to create and reinforce social ties

reciprocity

members of our extended group can share their resources of time, food, or other amenities in ways that advance their individual interests while working for the long term benefit of sustaining the group

affect of egalitarian societies on human socio-economic activity through time

a group in which wealth is not stratified but prestige and status are

ranked societies

a form of exchange in which accumulated wealth is collect from the members of the group and reallocated in a different pattern

redistribution

which type of society has the least stratification?

A. egalitarian society

B. reciprocity society

C. globalized society

D. ranked society

egalitarian society

what is the root of extreme stratification in today’s world?

A. evolutionary success requires inequality, stratification, and even domination of some groups by others

B. humans have begun constructing societies in ways that fail to promote human survival

C. intensive agriculture and rising populations created new opportunities to concentrate wealth

D. globalization concentrates wealth in the hands of the few

intensive agriculture and rising populations created new opportunities to concentrate wealth

marxian term for the capitalist class that owns the means of production

bourgeoisie

marxian term for the class of laborers who own only their labor

proletariat

the factories, machines, tools, raw materials, land, and financial capital needed to make things

means of production

any asset employed or capable of being deployed to produce wealth

capital

bourgeoise and proletariat; wrote against a background of economic change and social upheaval; labor was the key source of value and profit in the marketplace and owners sought constantly to increase their income by forcing workers to toil faster

Marx and class

a political awareness of their common position in the economy that would allow them to unite to change the system

class consciousness

written with marx and engels, a political pamphlet urging workers to recognize their exploited class position and to unit in opposition to the proletariat-bourgeoisie relationship emerging in the capitalist system

communist manifesto

the ideological superstructure of society - arts, culture, religion, politics, or contemporarily, hollywood, social media, virtual reality, and even the notion of the american dream - distracts people from recognizing the economic base that is the true root of their struggle

Why is it difficult to achieve class consciousness?

prestige and life chances; wrote against the backdrop of economic and social upheavals in western europe caused by the expansion of capitalism during the industrial revolution

max weber and class

the reputation, influence, and deference bestowed on certain people because of their membership in certain groups

prestige

an individual’s opportunities to improve their quality of life and realize life goals

life chances

is possible with the exercise of state power through police, tax collectors, and even the military

the state has monopoly on use of force

education and social reproduction; relationships among class, culture, and power

Bourdieu and class

the movement’s of one’s class position upward or downward in stratified societies

social mobility

the phenomenon whereby social and class relations of prestige or lack of prestige are passed from one generation to the next

social reproduction

bourdieu’s term to describe the self-perceptions, sensibilities, and tastes developed in response to external influences over a lifetime that shape one’s conceptions of the world and where one fits into it

habitus

the knowledge, habits, and tastes learned from parents and family that individuals can use to gain access to scarce and valuable resources of society

cultural capital

three forms of capital

cultural, economic, social

intersectionality among race, gender, and class; an intersectional approach where she asserts that in the US and many other areas class cannot be studied in isolation but instead must be considered with race and gender together as interlocking systems of power

Mullings on class

an analytic framework for assessing how factors such as race, gender, and class interact to shape individual life chances and societal patterns of stratification

intersectionality

powerful application of the intersectional approach to understanding class and inequality; showing how inequality of resources (class), institutional racism, and gender discrimination combine to affect opportunities for employment, housing, and health care in the harlem community. many pregnant women and working mothers had increased physical and mental stress

Harlem Birth Right Project mulings

wealth and poverty mark the extremes of a fluid class continuum but the expected trajectory up the ladder; distracts people from recognizing the economic base that is the trust root of their struggles

the american dream

Drastic and growing difference in wealth accumulation between Black and White individuals

racial wealth gap

A combination of dysfunctional behaviors, attitudes, and values that make and keep poor people poor; Anthropologists critique the "culture of poverty" theory, proposing poverty is rooted in structural economic issues rather than individual attitudes and values.

Oscar Lewis and the “culture of poverty” theory

Anthropologists critique the "culture of poverty" theory, proposing poverty is rooted in structural economic issues rather than individual attitudes and values. Structural factors like lack of jobs, inadequate education and health care, and insufficient investment in infrastructure contribute to persistent poverty. Characteristics often attributed to a "culture of poverty" are actually symptoms of poverty itself.

poverty as structural

- Global inequality highlights extremes of wealth and poverty; the number of billionaires grew from 937 in 2010 to 2,755 in 2021, while 3.4 billion people struggle to meet basic needs.
- 736 million people live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 per day, and nearly 2 billion live on less than $3.20 per day.
- Wealth distribution is heavily skewed, with 10% of the population owning 71% of global wealth, while the wealthiest 20% receive 75% of total global income.
- The World Bank categorizes countries into income levels, but inequality between and within nations has continued to grow, even in wealthy countries like the United States.
- Class stratification plays a central role in globalization, influencing individuals' life chances and social mobility, yet it is often overlooked compared to other systems of power.

wealth inequality globally vs in the us

Historical Trends: Wealth inequality has fluctuated, with periods of decline (e.g., post-WWII) and sharp increases (e.g., late 20th century).

Recent Growth: Since the 1980s, wealth concentration among the top 1% has risen significantly.

Globalization & Technology: Economic shifts have widened gaps between the wealthy and working-class populations.

Policy Impact: Tax policies, deregulation, and labor market changes have influenced inequality trends.

Social Consequences: Rising inequality affects economic mobility, political influence, and access to resources.

How has wealth inequality changed over time?

which theorist focuses most on the concept of intersectionality?

A. leith mullings

B. karl marx

C. pierre bourdieu

D. max weber

leith mullings

which question would pierre bourdieu be most likely to ask about the water crisis in flint, michigan?

A. does flint display a stratification of classes based on control over the means of production?

B. how does prestige play a role in differentially shaping the life chances of flint residents?

C. how do habitus and cultural capital affect the social mobility of each person?

D. how do systems of stratification such as race, gender, and class intersect in this context?

how do habitus and cultural capital affect the social mobility of each person?

highlights that the flint water crisis was a deliberate act of violence driven by neoliberalism and structural racism, not merely an infrastructure failure, which stripped citizens of democratic rights to prioritize financial austerity. The crisis highlights how extreme capitalism and racism target vulnerable communities, framing the event as a case study in environmental injustice and "neoliberal fascism."

McKenna ,Brian. The agony of Flint: poisoned water, racism and vhe specter of neoliberal fascism

What is the key policy debate regarding the roots of poverty in the United States?

A. how does the corporate culture of wall street impact everyday life in the united states?

B. is poverty more of a rural problem or an urban problem?

C. should policies focus more on income inequality or wealth inequality?

D. is poverty a problem of culture or of economic structures?

is poverty a problem of culture or of economic structures?

Stratification and inequality became more pronounced in industrialized capitalist societies in recent centuries, and this uneven development is accelerating under the forces of globalization. Which country has some of the highest levels of economic inequality?

1. the United States

2. the United Kingdom

3. Sweden

4. Norway

the united states

How did Karl Marx explain the social and economic upheaval that resulted from the Industrial Revolution?

1. The conflict between the bourgeoisie who owned the means of production and the proletariat who owned only his labor.

2. He considered the role of the economy in society.

3. He provided the framework for understanding the power of the working class.

4. He focused on capitalism as it pertained to the wealthy.

The conflict between the bourgeoisie who owned the means of production and the proletariat who owned only his labor

__________ society is based on the sharing of resources to ensure group success and has relatively low hierarchy and violence.

1. Matriarchal

2. Ranked

3. Stratified

4. Egalitarian

egalitarian

What is the upward or downward movement of an individual’s class position in a society called?

1. social capital

2. social reproduction

3. social prestige

4. social mobility

social mobility

The factories, machines, tools, raw materials, land, and financial capital needed to make things are

1. social reproduction.

2. capital.

3. the means of production.

4. habitus.

habitus

What function does reciprocity serve?

1. It is a leveling mechanism.

2. It maximizes profit.

3. It provides for the poor.

4. It helps build social ties and sustains the group.

It helps build social ties and sustains the group

Carmen’s parents enroll her in Advanced Placement French, where the content of the class is more academically demanding than the general French class. The family spends summer vacation in France and the parents hire a tutor to help Carmen study for the Advanced Placement French test. Carmen receives high marks and praise from her teachers. What aspect of Pierre Bourdieu’s work is exemplified here?

1. status prestige

2. cultural capital

3. habitus

4. group ideology

cultural capital

Why is the issue of the water poisoning in Flint, Michigan, referred to as a hydro-social process?

1. The circulation of water intersects with human systems of power.

2. The process of water distribution has been separated from decisions about who gets access to clean water.

3. Dams, canals, and irrigation systems replace the natural circulation of water.

4. Water rights transcend systems of power.

The circulation of water intersects with human systems of power

How did Pierre Bourdieu find that the idea of meritocracy, where all students should have equal opportunity to advance, was invalid in schools?

1. Social reproduction made everyone the same.

2. Habitus and cultural capital played no role in achievement.

3. Habitus and cultural capital provided uneven access to academic success.

4. Since all students were French, it was difficult to reach any cross-cultural conclusions.

Habitus and cultural capital provided uneven access to academic success

Your best friend, who has recently graduated with honors from Harvard University, arrives at a party you are hosting. Despite being a total stranger to all the guests, your friend is surrounded almost constantly by others throughout the entire evening. How would a theorist like Max Weber analyze this situation?

1. Your friend likely has a large ego and seeks attention by nature.

2. By attending an elite university, your friend has openly stated a dislike for the working class, which draws lots of attention.

3. Your friend enjoys high prestige due primarily to the affiliation with a high-prestige university.

4. Your friend enjoys a lot of wealth and privilege and thus draws others who seek that as well.

Your friend enjoys high prestige due primarily to the affiliation with a high-prestige university